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Trying to get pregnant on Mirapex

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:48 pm
by s830632
Hi everyone! I'm new to this site so please forgive me if I'm asking a question that has already been asked and answered (although I have googled this to death and I haven't found the information I needed).

I've had RLS since I was a child, well, I assume I do, I never got an official diagnosis from a sleep center. My son has the same problems that I have, so I am assuming it's heriditary.

About two years ago my (family) doctor prescribed Mirapex (.125 mg once a day) and I started taking it and have been ever since. It works wonders, I still have problems but as soon as I take the meds they go away.

But over the last year we've been trying to get pregnant. This week we did our first IUI, after which I started thinking about Mirapex and whether or not I should still be taking it. I did some quick googling and found out that I probably shouldn't be taking it. Even worse, in lab rats it apparently prevented implantation (could this have contributed to why I haven't been able to get pregnant?) and caused miscarriages.

In any case, I'm thinking I should stop taking MIraplex, but I also read about serious withdrawl symptoms if I stop taking Mirapex. Also, I'm not sure how to deal with the RLS if I have to stop taking the medicine.

Sooo.... I guess I'm just hoping someone could help me sort this all out. I have made an appointment with a Sleep clinic, but I can't see them until the 7th of May, in the mean time, I'm going to drive myself insane worrying about whether or not I might be hurting my chances of getting pregnant by taking this drug, or hurting the baby by taking this drug. I'm also going to see my doctor tomorrow. I just want to hear from someone who actually went through this or is going through this.

Even if you aren't trying to get pregnant or trying to get pregnant, I'm sure many of you are familiar with stopping Mirapex. Did you experience withdrawls? How bad were they? How long did they last? Also, how in the world do I cope with RLS without the meds?

Sorry for being so long winded. :?

Re: Trying to get pregnant on Miraplex

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:35 pm
by ViewsAskew
There shouldn't be ANY withdrawal symptoms from Mirapex in your situation as far as I know. The symptoms only apply to people who have had augmentation; augmentation is where the RLS/WED is worse because of the medication. It happens to 10-30 percent of people who take these drugs. You sound like you are not having any augmentation, so there shouldn't be any problems stopping it.

As I understand it, all doctors suggest that you stop this medication before you try to get pregnant. I doubt there are many studies related to it because it's primarily for Parkinson's and that population is usually past child-bearing. That you found the study you did is amazing!

So, stopping it is probably the first course of action. Unless there is something else going on, that shouldn't be hard. Of course, once you stop it, you have the situation of having the symptoms back again. There are no approved medications to take while pregnant. The only one that I know of that has been tested is methadone. We've had women on this forum use methadone during pregnancy and have NO adverse outcomes. So, if things get crazy, you have an option.

Re: Trying to get pregnant on Mirapex

Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 5:48 pm
by Chipmunk
I agree with Ann, especially given your low dose. I don't think you should have any problems. Best wishes for a sticky egg!!

Re: Trying to get pregnant on Mirapex

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:52 am
by fraujoolie
Hello, I see this thread is a little old, but I wanted to post a reply, in case someone else finds themselves in this situation. Mirapex and pregnancy don't mix. There are some links between cleft palate and Mirapex, and the palate forms very early on (I want to say around 5-11 weeks gestation?), so it's possible to be "just" freshly pregnant and unaware of it, and there being some damage going on. I would say it's best to get this out of your system before baby makin'. And if you need to be on something, there are ways. I have severe RLS and had my first son on nothing, my second son (safely) on a low-dose of Methadone. I have lots of posts on it, if you dig around my profile. Best of luck to the mommas - J